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by CloakSeeker
Summary: Disclaimer: I do not own Agents of SHIELD. So, there are less than 24 hours till Season 2 premieres. I wrote this story based on the sneak peek we got last week. I hope you enjoy it. R&R.


A/N I saw the Season 2 Sneak Peek and thought of this. I hope you like it. R&R.

Skye hated this. If it wouldn't have been for Coulson asking this she wouldn't have done it. Not for all the money in the world. But Coulson did, he knows that _he_ is the only one that could help them. And _he_ made it clear that he wouldn't talk, unless if it was Skye asking the questions.

So, there she was taking the elevator to the _dungeon_, as Trip likes to call it, where her former SO was currently rotting. She remembered telling Ward, back in that diner, to rot in hell, but she didn't really think that his hell was her haven. Skye sighed. She didn't talk to the man since that day they took Cybertek down. Well, it wasn't really an issue at first, since May did a wonderful job on his larynx. God, she wondered if she could ever be able to do something like that. But at the rate May was training her it seemed like a far away dream. Or nightmare, considering how tough May was. Compared to the Cavalry the scum that once called himself her SO was a freaking toddler.

She didn't even know when she reached Ward's cell door. The guard already knew that she was coming and typed a code in to open the door. The room was barely lit. She stepped inside carefully, almost expecting Ward to jump on her and try to escape. But he was just sitting on his cot staring at her surprised. It had been five months since they last so each other. Suddenly, Skye remembered everything. Anger and rage started to build up inside her and she closed her eyes and tried to focus on her breathing. It was a stupid thing to do. Ward got close to her and she didn't even noticed.

"Never close your eyes in front of a threat" he told her and she snapped her eyes open, being startled by how close he was. She took a step back and Ward realized that he crossed an invisible line, taking a step back himself.

"Thanks" she spit out.

"You came" he said in a low voice.

"Apparently" she answered. "Or do you day dream a lot" she asked sarcastically.

"Sometimes" he answered without realizing it. Skye was taken aback. She didn't mean anything by asking that.

"I'm here on business, so sit down" she focused on the job again. Ward did as he was told and took a seat at the metal table in the middle of the room. Skye took out the picture of the assassin they encountered and put it on the table in front of Ward. "Do you know him?" she asked, her voice cold and emotionless, which reminded Ward of May. He looked at the picture never touching it, his hands rested calmly on his lap.

"Carl Creel, his lethal" Ward simply stated.

"Could you be a little more specific?"

"He is a high class assassin, doesn't care for human life, would sell his own mother to the highest bidder. He is cruel and violent, knows absolutely no mercy. Once he knows his target nothing can stop him. He is like a ghost" Ward explained. Skye listened to him, trying to remember every detail. "Stay away from him" Ward suddenly said.

"Yeah, not gonna happen. He is on the radar and we will take him down."

"You don't understand. If seen him get shot. I was on a black ops mission in Russia, a few months before I joined Coulson's team. He got shot several times. He just stood up and walked away like nothing happened. He is a blood thirsty killer. You have to promise me to stay away from him" Ward looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Get a grip, Ward. You are nothing to me. You have no right to tell me what to do. Since you _left_ a real agent of SHIELD took over my training. I'm ready" she shouted at him.

"I know you hate me, but please, Skye, I don't want you to get hurt…" Ward tried to reason with her, his voice broken.

"Shut up. How dare you. You don't want me to get hurt? And what about this?" Skye asked lifting her top enough so that he could see her scars from the bullet wounds.

"I didn't know, Skye, I swear. If I'd known I would have prevented it. I care for you" the last part was a mere whisper but Skye heard it nevertheless. However, it made her even more angry with him. She walked around the table, grabbing him by the collar and slapping him several times. He took it, never once trying to push her away. He deserved it and he knew that. If she felt better that way he would take a lot more. He hurt her. A lot. But he wanted to make things right. At least with her. He understood that whatever he thought he owed his former SO and mentor wasn't worth the sacrifices he had to make. He once tried to explain it to her, but obviously it wasn't the right time. But as far as he knew there was never a right time to begin with. His mind was racing to all those time they have been together, the good and the bad, and it made his heart ache that for some misunderstood loyalty on his part he lost the only person who really loved him for him, not because he was an asset for SHIELD or a sleeper agent for Hydra or a loyal dog for Garrett or even a punching bag for Maynard. No, she saw only glimpses of who he really was and she loved that part. He only now, in captivity, realized that the Ward the team got to know was actually more of the real Ward than the one Garrett knew. But how could he ever explain that? His therapist told him about his former team – he requested it, after their fifth or sixth session. He learned about Coulson becoming director, about the secret base, about Skye being trained by May, about FitzSimmons' survival, but also the coma Fitz was in. Only after Fitz woke up from his coma, a month prior to this moment did Ward start to talk to his therapist. He even requested to be interrogated about Hydra. Within the first week he told SHIELD everything he ever heard, read or witnessed that had even remotely something to do with Hydra. His therapist was generous. He spoke kindly to him. Ward guessed it was part of the job or some trick to get him talking. But Ward never cared about Hydra. His allegiance was always towards Garrett. And now that Garrett was gone… Coulson asked him once what he was without his SO. Back then he didn't know. But know he was starting to figure it out. He was broken. Very much. Garrett never rescued him, he only shaped him into a loyal servant. Nothing more. Ward saw that now. But it was too late. He would never get out of that prison and deep down he knew he deserved even worse. If not for all the deaths on his ledger, then for the pain he inflicted upon the people who he really cared for. His team. Because in his mind they still were. If by some divine miracle they would forgive him he could die at least in peace. But that was wishful thinking.

Skye stopped slapping and hitting him and started crying. Bitterly crying. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her to comfort her. But he was the last person who would have the right to do that. But as Skye was continuing to cry he didn't care. He carefully put his arms around her and pulled her closer to his chest. Surprisingly she didn't back away. She even snuggled closer, until she wrapped her arms around him. Ward couldn't believe what was happening. This surely was a dream. A weird one, but a dream. Skye cried for several more minutes until she sobbed a few times and then started to calm down. She still held him close to her and he sure as hell didn't want to let her go.

"Why?" she asked in a muffled voice.

"Why what?" he asked, not really understanding.

"Why did you have to do it? To betray us? Me?"

"I was stupid. I don't have enough days left to apologize and try to make it up to all of you for everything I've done. Especially to you and the team. I felt I owed John everything, while he only manipulated me. I was blind. It was all my fault. John told me the day we met to never trust anyone, especially him. But I did. And it came with a price."

"You're in prison."

"Yes, but that isn't the price. I lost you. I know you don't want to hear this, but I do care for you very much. That wasn't a lie. But because of him I ruined everything. I don't expect you to forgive me. But if you ever need anything you know where I live" he finished his speech using the same phrase she once said to him, after the Berserker staff incident. Skye actually smiled at that.

"I read your file" she told him, still not letting go of him. "I know everything that happened to you. I still can't forgive you, but what that son of a bitch did to you…" she couldn't finish her sentence, because Ward pushed her a little away from himself. He looked her in the eyes and he saw sadness. She was sad because of him.

"I'm sorry" he said and wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

"For what?" she asked confused.

"For having to read my file. There are some things in there I'm not really proud of and…" he was stopped mid-sentence when Skye put a finger on his lips. It felt warm and smelt just like her, sweet and, Ward didn't find a better word, like home.

"That file shows more the psycho Garrett was than you being a complete moron in following his orders" she said firmly. "I don't know what will happen from now on, but try to get better. I talked to your therapist. Don't worry, nothing personal, just his impressions on your mental condition and evolution. You are doing great. I think you should focus on getting your life back. I know you are in prison, but you need to work through those years of pain and sorrow and just leave them behind, buried in the past" Skye gave him a weak smile. She didn't really intend on giving him such a speech. The job was to get down here and ask him about the assassin they encountered, not to have a sort of therapy session with their prisoner.

Skye unwrapped her arms from around him, already missing him, he did the same a moment later, taking the hint that the moment was gone. But he couldn't complain. For a few minutes he was back on the Bus, with his family, with the woman he loved. He was home.


End file.
